DENVER — Before the first bell rang at McAuliffe International School Tuesday morning, a large crowd of teachers, students and parents filled the school lawn, rallying against the Denver School Board and Denver Public School District.
Logan Keeney, a physical education teacher at McAuliffe spoke for the group, expressing concern that the district was considering firing more members of McAuliffe staff and warned the lame duck school board could consider a measure to remove McAuliffe’s innovation status.
“We are here today because our staff and our innovation status is under attack,” Keeney said, addressing the crowd. “Why is that? I think that’s a great question and when you ask anyone from the district, they will have a tough time answering it.”
The protest comes after a tumultuous year at McAuliffe. After a shooting at East High School this spring, McAuliffe principal Kurt Dennis told 9NEWS about ongoing security concerns at the school. Months later, the district fired Dennis.
After a threat of a lawsuit over his termination, DPS officials began investigating an anonymous allegation by a whistleblower about an unauthorized seclusion room for disruptive students.
Following the announcement of that investigation, the district placed the interim principal, Micah Klaver, on paid administrative leave.
9NEWS asked for an interview with DPS Superintendent Alex Marrero Tuesday, but a spokesman said he was unavailable.
Marrero doesn’t plan to recommend removal of McAuliffe’s innovation status at a board meeting Thursday, according to Bill Good, a spokesman for DPS and Marrero. He also temporarily pushed aside rumors of further staff terminations.
“The investigation into the improper use of the seclusion room at McAuliffe International is still ongoing and Dr. Marrero does not anticipate any potential findings regarding current DPS employees to be actioned prior to Thursday’s Board of Education Meeting,” Good said in an emailed statement.
But even with that reassurance, some members of McAuliffe staff are still on edge.
“It’s tough,” Keeney told 9NEWS in an interview. “We’re staying together because we know that this is really important. That we’re fighting about something that’s really important.”
“Being a teacher is hard and when you add all of this on top of it," he said. "You know it’s next to impossible.”
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